Wrist watch band



.Feb. 11, 1947; 1. WOLFF. 2,415,781

WRIST WATCH BAND Filed March 18, 1944 WM 11' N' IN VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 11, 1947 i UNETED smres rarest QFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to wrist bands, and particularly to those adapted for use in connection with wrist watches, wrist ornaments, and for other purposes. The primary object of the invention is to provide a band of this character which can be easily placed on and removed from the wrist Without the necessity for unfastening and fastening buckles, clasps and other similar fastening means.

The invention contemplates the provision of a light-weight annulus or band of substantially C-shape and composed of a shape-maintaining but springy material, preferably a plastic composition, and which will possess suflicient resiliency to allow the normally spaced ends of the band to be sprung apart to fit the band on the wrist, the band then contracting to snugly fit the wrist and maintain its position thereon without the use of supplemental fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a wrist band of this character, means by which various types and sizes of wrist watches may be interchangeably fitted to the band without requiring special fitting or parts and without the use of tools.

These and other objects are attained by the structure hereinafter described and more particularly set forthjn the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed, Fig. 1 is a face View of the strip or blank from which the improved wrist band is made; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the wrist band, showing a watch fitted on the same, a part of the strap being broken away to disclose a portion of one of the spring bars; Fig. 3 is an edge view of the band and attached watch; Fig. 4 is a sectional view through one of the pairs of lugs provided on the band; Fig. 5 is a face view of a part of a modified form of band, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified form of lug construction formed from the blank of Fig. 5.

The blank from which the wrist band is made, is shown in Fig. 1 wherein it will be noted that the band I is made from flat strip material of a thickness and stiffness to enable the band to maintain its shape when formed into wrist-fitting contour, as in Fig. 3, yet have suflicient flexibility or resiliency to enable the ends of the band to be spread apart when placing the band on the wrist or removing it therefrom. The band may be made to advantage from various types of plastic materials, from metal, or from any other relatively light, flexible and shape-maintaining material of desired characteristics.

The strip I from which the band is made, is provided on its longitudinal edges with the laterally projecting ears or lugs 2 and 3, those indicated at 2 constituting a co-operating pair and those shown at 3 a second co-operating pair. The lugs are bent upwardly on the dotted lines 5 so that they project from the upper face of the band and the band is then bent, while heatsoftened or otherwise treated to make it temporarily malleable, into the wrist-fitting or C- shaped contour seen in Fig. 3. It will be therein noted that the ends 3 and i of the band are spaced apart for a slight distance, such distance being normally insufiicient to allow the passage of the wrist between the ends of the band unless the ends are sprung apart for a sufiicient distance to permit this to take place.

In placing the band on the wrist, the ends l3 and M are spread apart to widen the intervening space l5 sumciently to allow the band to be slipped over the wrist. The flexibility of the material of the band causes the band to spring back to its former shape, as in Fig. 3, and then snugly fit the wrist and retain its position thereon.

Each of the lugs or ears 2 and 3 is provided with a hole a, and when. the lugs or cars are folded upwardly substantially on the lines 5 in Fig. 1, each pair of lugs is connected by a spring bar 6, the trunnions It of which are removably fitted in the holes 4 in the lugs.

With the arrangement described, the band is provided with a pair of spaced-apart spring bars 6, the spacing between the spring bars being greater than the length of the conventional wrist watch H), which is attached to the band by means of a strap or other flexible element I. Said strap '1 has its opposite ends provided with loops 8 through which the spring bars 6 extend. The strap holds the watch on the band by being extended over the usual spring bars l2 located between the lugs on the watch case, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement is such that a wrist watch of almost any shape and size may be accommodated on the band and placed centrally thereon between the two pairs of lugs 2 and 3.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a modification, Wherein the use of spring bars for holding the strap 7 is dispensed with, and instead, the lugs H on the band are made relatively long and are in folded on the lines l8 to provide the inturned extensions I 9 co-operating to form a cross-bar upon which the loop 8 of the strap 1 may be fitted. The spacing between the ends of the inturned parts [9 of the'lugs ll permits the loop 8 of the strap to be placed on these parts of the lugs.

To apply the band on the wrist merely requires the spreading apart of the ends l3 and Hi to permit the band to be slipped on the wrist and the contraction of the band to its normal position takes place due to the natural resiliency of the material of the band, and acts to hold the band on the wrist without the use of buckles, clasps or other fastening means.

A great deal of damage is caused to wrist watches because of the failure of the wearer to remove the watch when washing the hands or when engaging in work or other activity during which the watch is likely to become damaged. The failure to remove the watch from the wrist at these times is due to the trouble involved in loosening buckles, clasps or other fastenings usually provided on the several types of wrist bands now on the market. Since the present invention provides a band which can be placed on and removed from the wrist by merely pulling it from the wrist and slipping it around the wrist, which can be done instantly, the use of a band of this construction promotes the laudable habit of removing the watch from the wrist at any time when the safety of the watch is likely to be endangered, thus materially increasing the life of the timepiece.

What I claim is:

1. A wrist band composed of a flat member fitting around the wrist, pairs of spaced lugs arising from the band, spring bars located between and engaging with the lugs, a strap carried between the spring bars, said strap extending over the spring bars of a watch and passing behind the watch to attach the watch to the band.

2. A wrist band of the character described comprising, a C-shaped plastic member having two pairs of integrally formed lugs arising from it, said lugs being spaced apart for a distance greater than the watch to be attached to the band, a strap having loops at its opposite ends, means at the lugs extending through the loops to thereby hold the strap extended between the two pairs of lugs, said strap being extended over the spring bars of a watch and passed in back of the watch to thereby attach the watch to the member.

3. A wrist band of the character described comprising, a band of springy material curved to fit around the wrist and hold itself in place thereon without fastening elements, the longitudinal edges of said band having integral lugs, said lugs being bent to stand at substantially right angles to the plane or the band, a pair of spaced spring bars extending between each two lugs, the lugs being apertured to receive the trunnions of the spring bars, a strap extending between and connecting the spring bars, said strap engaging the spring bars of a watch to attach the watch to the band.

4:. A wrist band of the character described comprising, a springy C-shaped member fitted around the wrist and holding its position about the wrist without fastening means, lugs arising from the outer face of the band and located in spaced relation, and strap means in engagement with the lugs and also in adjustable engagement with the bars of a watch placed between the lugs, whereby watches of different sizes may be accommodated between the lugs.

IVAN WOLFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,189,096 Alonge Feb. 6, 1940 1,806,439 Barton May 19, 1931 1,932,248 Gebhardt Nov. 27, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,915 British Mar. 20, 1912 175,839 Canadian Mar. 20, 1917 

